Headlight-dimmer



l. GORMN.

HEADLIGHT DIMMER.

APPucATxoN FILED MAR.|.1920.

Pai/@mad May 24, 1923]..

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JOHN GOB/MAN, OF H-OT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2a, 1921.

Application led March 1, 1920. Serial No. 362,539.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, JOHN GroRMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hot Springs, in the county of Garland and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Headlight- Diinmers, of which the following is a specication. Y

The object ofthe invention is to provide a simple, comparatively inexpensive and eiiicient dimming attachment for headlights of automobiles, locomotives and other vehicles, suitable for projecting unobstructed rays of light within a restricted zone while displaying a relatively large area of. light tempered or modified to avoid the objectionable glare which is embarrassing to drivers of vehicles approaching in the opposite direction, the construction of the device being such as to adapt it for application to headlights of the ordinary commercial forms without modication of the latter; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of the dimmer.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the dimmer applied in the operative position to a headlight casing.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the dimmer.

Fig. 1 is a detail view of one of the stretchers.

The device consists essentially of a plurality of concentric rings or bands suitably held in a substantially common plane and including the inner and outer marginal bands 1() and 11 and intermediate bands 12 and 13 supporting a light-penetrable medium 14 of translucent quality such as canvas or like fabric secured to the bands, for example, by radial stretchers 15 headed as at 16 in the inner marginal band, extending through keepers 17 on the intermediate bands and having their outer threaded termina'ls 18 extended through openings in the outer marginal band and engaged by thumb nuts 19.

The fabric or webbing constituting the light-penetrable medium 14 is preferably white and is exposed in the intervals between the marginal and intermediate bands, but may have its surface tinted or coated between the intermediate bands to form kContrasting stripes of contrasting colors such as blue in the space 20, green in the space 21, and red in the space 22. These colors, however, may be varied in number, extent, location, values, etc., as a distinguishing mark of the machine or vehicle in connection with which the dimmer may be employed, or as a means of indicating the origin or home locality of the vehicle.

The space within the inner marginal band is preferably unobstructed except to the extent of an over-hanging outwardly bulging or arched hood 23 which serves to intercept rays of light which would tend to rise above a certain prescribed plane and thus constitute a glare in the eyes of the driver of an approaching machine while directing the unobstructed rays upon the surface of the road in advance of the machine and within a comparatively restricted or limited zone suiiicient for the guidance of the driver of the machine on which the dimmer is employed.

The means of attachment of the dimmer to the lamp or headlight casing 24, as shown in Fig. 2, consists of clamps 25 carried by the outer marginal band and provided with set screws 26 for engagement with the bead of said casing.

It will be understood that the dimmer constructed as described constitutes not only means for tempering the light to avoid the objections usually urged against powerful headlights on vehicles used on the public highways, but as a means of displaying a distinguishing mark or insignia for the information of authorities charged with police duties in localities traversed by visiting machines or tourists.

A dimmer constructed as described also constitutes a convenient means of displaying a license number under conditions which may readily be observed by pedestrians and others in the path of progress of the machine.

What is claimed is:

1. A headlight dimmer having a plurality of concentric marginal and intermediate bands of which the outer marginal band carries clamps for attachment to a headlight casing and the inner band carries an overhanging arched hood, means for securing the bands in concentric relation and a lightpenetrable webbing carried by and covering the intervals between said marginal and ininner and outer marginal bands and having termediate bands. connection at intermediate'points with the 2. A headlight dimmer having inner and intermediate bands.Y outer marginal and intermediate bands, a In testimony whereof I affix my signa- 5 light-penetrable medium-spanning the interture. v

vals between said bands, and radial stretohl Y ers terminally attached respectively tosaid g JOHN GORMAN. 

